Key identification device



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KEY IDENTIFICATION DEVICE Filed March 24, 1949 INVENTOR.

HARRY f. ZONG/VLC/(ER BY I flab/W ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY IDENTIFICATION DEVICE Harry F. Longneckcr, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to Frank H. Harmon, Cleveland, Ohio Application March 24, 1949, Serial No. 83,142

7 Claims.

This invention relates to identification devices and has for one of its primary objects to provide such a device that is adapted to support a key and that is adjustable to give a plurality of accurate visual indications that will identify the device for which the key is employed.

A further object is to provide such a device wherein a plurality of relatively adjustable concentrically arranged discs are employed and releasably lockable in any desired position by the kay supporting chain so that the indication on the device, in a plurality of ways, properly identifies the device for which the key is employed.

A more specific object of the device is to provide such a device that is suitable for the purpose of properly identifying an automotive vehicle with the keys therefor.

I am aware of the existence of such identification devices as disclosed in the U. S. patent to Rahn, No. 2,200,454, May 14, 1940, which employs a frame for housing a license tag number and to which a key chain is removably attached.

The present invention, however, is primarily motivated by a need that is not satisfied by such a device. It goes without saying that all vehicle operators do not have such a device as the patent discloses on their key chain.

Let us take, for example, the situation confronting a dealer in the business of selling automotive vehicles. By law, he is permitted to use what are commonly known as dealers license tags that the dealer may shift from vehicles as he sees fit and drive them on public thoroughfares. Thus, the tag itself loses its significance as a means for identifying the car. Likewise, a device, such as disclosed in the patent, also loses its significance as an identification means.

Therefore, specifically, I propose to provide a device to comprise a plurality of concentrically arranged and relatively rotatably adjustable discs. The top, or master, disc may have appropriate windows marked make and .year! Two under discs may independently have such markings as Ford and 1949 thereon which may be brought into registry with its corresponding window. In addition, I may employ a quadrant superimposed on the master disc denoting type, such as coupe. Assuming the key to fit a "1949 Ford coupe, the discs and quadrant will be So adjusted and the key chain fed through appropriate registering holes therein to lock the device in that set position. If desired, the quadrants may be made to represent the color of the car. Thus, if the customer sees a 1949 Ford blue coupe in the salesroom, the dealer merely looks on the wall key rack and 2 sees the identification tag that registers 1949," Ford, "Coupe and Blue, and hands the customer the device which carries the appropriate key.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth in the following specification and appended claims, certain'embodiments thereof being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view in front elevation of the assembled key identification device, without the key or chain;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the bottom disc, showing the pivot hole and series of locking holes and circularly arranged indicia representing consecutively arranged years;

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of a transparent disc, which is to be superimposed on the bottom disc, showing the center pivot hole, the series of circularly arranged locking holes and circular series of radially arranged names of manufacturers of automobiles.

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of the master disc, or card, having a center pivot hole, a lock hole, a hook engaging hole, windows for the indicia of discs l and 2 and also having indicia representing the types of car body;

Figure 5 is a view in front elevation of a segment, to be superimposed on the master card superimposed on the middle transparent disc, showing its window, center pivot hole and a series of locking holes; and

Figure 6 is a view in front perspective of the assembled device hanging on a hook and supporting'a key and key chain, the latter locking the device in adjusted position, a portion of the device being shown broken away to show the discs in superimposed relationship.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Figure 2 shows a circular disc I with a center pivot hole 9, a series of circularly arranged locking holes 5, near the periphery of the disc and a series of consecutively arranged numbers, from 39 through 54, disposed alternately between the locking holes 5.

Figure 3 shows a circular disc 2, having a center pivot hole It and a series of circularly arranged locking holes 6 near the periphery of the disc. Radially disposed between each locking hole 6 and the center pivot hole I0 is arranged the name, or appropriate abbreviation, of the automobile manufacturers name and automobile, specifically, Buick, Packard, Studebaker, Hudson,

Nash, Mercury, Ford, Lincoln, Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth, De Soto, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Cadillac. This disc 2 is transparent in order that the numbers, 39 to 54, inclusive, may be seen through disc 2, without interference with the indicia on disc 2, between locking holes of disc 2 at points radially outwardly of the indicia on disc 2.

Figure 4 shows the master disc, or card, 3 to have a center pivot hole I l and a hole IE to receive a wall rack hook such as that shown at 20 in Figure 6. Disc 3 is provided with a radially extending window I4 and a circular window [1. In addition, disc 3 has four sets of indicia arranged radially below the pivot hole ll. These indicia read Sedan, Coupe, Conv. and 4 Door, representing styles of car body as Sedan, Coupe, Convertible and 4 Door Sedan, respectively.

Figure 5 shows a segment 4 with a pivot hole I2, four locking holes 8 and a radially disposed window l5.

To assemble the device, disc 2 is placed upon disc I, disc 3 on disc 2 and segment 4 on disc 3 so that the center pivot holes are all in registry with each other. The assembly is then looked together by a suitable rivet 53 passing through center holes in such a manner as to loosely lock the assembly so that the segment and the three discs are readily relatively manually' rotatable for adjustment purposes.

Assume, for example, the prospective customer is in a car dealers show room and is interested. in the purchase of silver colored 19%!) Buick coupe automobile. There is no key in. the car and it either has no license tag on it, or at best has. a "dea1ers license tag. The customer desires to have a demonstration of the car before purchase. The dealer has previously adjusted one of my novel car key identification devices for this car as follows: Disc I is rotated until number "49 thereon appears in window l2 of disc 3 cpposite the number 19 on disc 3 to spell out the year 1949. Disc 2 is then rotated until Buick on disc 2 appears in window 95 of disc 3. Segment 4 is then rotated until Coupe on disc 3 appears in the window !5 of segment 4. The key chain l8, for supporting the car key 59, is then passed through locking holes 8, 'I, and 5 of segment 4 anddiscs 3, 2 and i respectively and locked to support the key and to lock the segment and the three discs in such adjusted position. As an added means of quick identification, the segments, such as shown at 4 in white, may come in difierent colors. Thus the white segment may represent a white, or silver, car.

Thus,. the salesman having previously assembled and locked my device by a key chain bearing the key for a silver 1949 year Buick coupe, he merely looks on the wall key rack to find the key for this car that the customer desires to have demonstrated. The sequence in the break down of identification by the dealer may vary with different individuals. However, as an example of sequence, the dealer may observe first the color of segment 4- and match the same with that of the car. Secondly, he may check the body type, such as coupe. Thirdly, he may check the make, such as Buick and lastly the year of make, such as 1949. It will be noted that discs I and 2 and segment 4 have a plurality of looking holes. The master disc is shown to have one looking hole 1, but may have more, if desired.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a key identification device, by means of which the identity of the car and the key therefore may be quickly checked as to color, type, make and year. The device is simple and inexpensive in construction. It is readily and quickly adjustable. It has a wide and adequate range of advention to the specific disclosure, which is by way of illustration.

I claim:

1. A key identification device adapted to support a key chain and key, said device comprising a master disc having a pair of windows therein, a second disc of transparent material and having a series of differing identification indicia and disposed underneath said master disc, a third disc arranged under said second disc and having a series of differing identification indicia differing in character from those on said second disc, said three discs being relatively adjustable to each other to selectively bring indicia of said second disc in registry with one window and the indicia of said third disc in registry with the other window, said discs having a series of apertures to receive said key chain to lock the three discs together in any of a plurality of adjusted positions against relative movement.

2. A key identification device adapted to support a key chain and key, said device comprising a master disc having a pair of windows therein, a second disc of transparent material disposed underneath said master disc and having a series of difiering identification indicia, a third disc disposed under said second disc and having a series of diifering identification indicia differing in character from those of said second disc, said master disc having a series of identification indicia, a segment superimposed on said master disc and having a window therein, said discs and segment being relatively adjustable to selectively bring indicia of said second and third discs in registry with separate windows of said master disc and the'indicia of said master disc in registry with the window of said segment.

3. A key identification device adapted to support a key chain and key, said device comprising a master disc having a pair of windows therein, a second disc of transparent material disposed underneath said master disc and having a series of differing identification indicia, a third disc disposed under said second disc and having a series of differing identification indicia difiering in character from those of said second disc, said master disc having a series of identification indicia, a segment superimposed on said master disc and having a window therein, said discs and segment being relatively adjustable to selectively bring indicia of said second and third discs in registry with separate windows of said master disc and the indicia of said master disc in registry with the window of said segment, said discs and segment each having a series of alignable holes to receive said key chain to lock the same together in any of a plurality of adjusted positions against relative movement.

4. A key identification device adapted to support a key chain and key, said device comprising a master disc having a pair of windows therein, a second disc of transparent material disposed underneath said master disc and having a series of differing identification indicia, a third disc disposed under said second disc and having a series of difiering identification indicia difiJering in character from those of said second disc, said master disc having a series of identification indicia, a segment superimposed on said master disc and having a window therein, said discs and segment being relatively adjustable to selectively bring indicia of said second and third discs in registry with separate windows of said master disc and the indicia of said master disc in registry with the window of said segment, said discs and segment each having a series of alignable holes to receive said key chain to lock the same together in any of a plurality of adjusted positions against relative movement, said segment being selectively colored to correspond to the color of the device for which the key is intended for use.

5. An automotive vehicle key identification device adapted to support a key chain and key, said device comprising a card having a pair of windows therein, a transparent disc mounted under said card and having a series of differing indicia thereon, a second disc mounted under said transparent disc and having a series of differing indicia, thereon of a character differing from those on said transparent disc, one of the series of indicia representing manufacturers make of car and the other series of indicia the year of make of the car, said card having a series of indicia representing style of car, a segment superimposed over a portion of said card and having a window therein.

6. An automotive vehicle key identification device adapted to support a key chain and key, said device comprising a card having a. pair of windows therein, a transparent disc mounted under said card and having a series of difiering indicia thereon, a second disc mounted under said transparent disc and having a series of difiering indicia thereon of a character differing from those on said transparent disc, one of the 6 series of indicia representing manufacturer's make of car and the other series the year of make of the car, said card having a series of indicia representing style of car, a segment superimposed over a portion of said card and having a window therein, said card, segment and discs all being relatively rotatably adjustable and having a series of registrable holes therein to receive said key chain to lock said card, segment and discs together in any of a plurality of adjusted positions against relative movement.

7. An automotive vehicle key identification device adapted to support a key chain and key, said device comprising a card having a pair of windows therein, a transparent disc mounted under said card and having a series of differing indicia thereon, a second disc mounted under said transparent disc and having a series of differing indicia thereon of a character differing from those on said transparent disc, one of the series of indicia representing manufacturer's make of car and the other series the year of make of the car, said card having a series of indicia representing style of car, a segment superimposed over a portion of said card and having a window therein, said card, segment and discs all being relatively rotatably adjustable and having a series of registerable holes therein to receive said key chain to lock said card, segment and discs together in any of a plurality of adjusted positions against relative movement and said segment being adapted to be of a color corresponding to that of the car for which the key is intended for use.

HARRY F. LONGNECKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 29,156 Foote July 1'7, 1860 122,994 Cottle Jan. 23, 1872 730,685 Norman June 9, 1903 1,987,180 Chidester Jan. 8, 1935 

